Staple magazine and feed means for stapling machines



Jan. 22, 1957 w. scHAFRoTH 2,778,022

STAPLE MAGAZINE AND FEED MEANS FOR STAPLNG MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Oct. 3, 1950 den me Schar/ra /v Jan. 22, 1957 w. scHAFRoTH 2,778,022

STAPLE MAGAZINE AND FEED MEANS FOR STAPLING MACHINES Original Filed Oct. 3, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A INVENTOR. We rn'er' Sc /m/a A 'wf/Www United States Patent STAPLE MAGAZINE AND FEED MEANS FOR STAPLING MACHINES Werner Schafroth, Havertown, Pa., assigner to International Staple and Machine Company, Havertown, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Original application October 3, 1950, Serial No. 188,117, now Patent No. 2,722,001, dated .November 1, .1955. Divided and this application June 6, 1955, Serial No. 516,189

7 Claims. (Cl. 1-49) The present invention has to do with stapling machines and is concerned primarily with stapling machines of the retractable anvil type. This application is a division of application Serial No. 188,117, liled October 3, 1950, now United States Patent No. 2,722,001, granted November l, i955. Reference is made to this patent for a detailed description of the stapling machine that is not included herein, the reference numerals being the same.

As the name implies, a retractable anvil stapling machine is a machine `which includes anvils that pierce the material being stapled and which cooperate with the legs ot' the staple to clinch them. After the clinching operation the anvils are retracted. Such stapling machines are adapted for use where access may be had to only one face ot the material being stapled. A good example of this is the closing of the liaps of a corrugated carton.

lust about every stapling machine, whether of the retractable anvil or other type, must include a magazine which feeds the staples into driving position. An important object of the invention lies in the provision of a new and improved magazine that is particularly adapted for use with a retractable anvil machine of the type aforesaid.

ln accordance with the present invention the magazine is detachably assembled in the machine but is springleaded with the force of the spring maintaining the assembled relation. The magazine carries a supply of staples in the form of a cartridge which is fed by additional spring means. An important feature of the invention resides in the fact that the spring-loaded clip which holds the magazine assembled cannot be released until the spring-feeding mechanism for the staple cartridge has removed. This guards against acci- 'ental release of the magazine.

Another highly important object ci the invention is to provide a retractable anvil stapling machine in which the magazine feeds the staple which is to be driven directly into driving position. During the feeding operation the staple does not assume any intermediate or temporary position and all caps, either sliding or fixed, are eliminated. With this arrangement substantially all possibility of bad jamming is eliminated and should a staple be maltormed upon one operation the machine may be cleared by a subsequent `operation without the necessity of disassembling the machine.

Various other more detailed objects and advantages ot' the invention such as arise -in connection with carrying out the above noted ideas in a practical embodiment will, in part become apparent, and in part be hereinafter stated as the description of the invention proceeds.

For a full and more complete understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the .following description and accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure l is a side View taken generally as a vertical section although on dierent planes through a retractr. iQ@

able anvil stapling machine designed in accordance with the precepts of this invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary showing taken as a bottom plan view ot the forward or operating end of the machine;

Figure 3 is a view in elevation looking at the machine from the rear with the magazine removed;

Figure 4 is a view in end elevation of the magazine;

Figure 5 is a detailed View looking from the inside at one of the side frame parts showing the spring-loaded clip which biases the magazine;

Figure 6 is a detailed perspective with parts broken away and shown in section of the inner magazine part;

Figure 7 is a similar view of the outer magazine part;

Figure 8 is a detailed perspective of the staple pusher.

Referring now to the drawings and rst more particularly to Figure 1, the retractable anvil stapling machine of this invention is shown as including a main standard 10. The standard is provided with a front frame wall 27, a rear frame. wall 35 and side frame sections 39.

The magazine is referred to in its entirety by the reference character M and is shown assembled in Figure 4. The magazine M comprises an inner channel shaped member '7l which is shown in detail in Figure 6. This inner member '71 carries a wear plate 72 at its inner end and its outer end has an end wall 73 formed with a slot 74. The magazine M also includes an outer channel shaped member 75 having side walls 76 which terminate at their upper ends in inturned flanges 77. Struck from these walls 76 are outwardly extending tabs '78 for a purpose to be later described. The inner ends of these walls 76 carry abutment blocks 79, the purpose of which will later become apparent.

The channel member 71 is assembled within the member 75 and the two welded together. In their assembled relation the side Walls of the member 71 are spaced inwardly from the side walls 76. A staple cartridge is shown in broken lines in Figure l and designated l8l). The staple at the rear end of this cartridge is shown in Figure 4. It it will be seen that the back of the staple has its ends disposed beneath the flanges 77 of the outer magazine member 75 with the legs received between the side walls ot the inner member 71 and the side walls 76 or the outer magazine member.

A staple pusher 81 is shown in detail in Figure- 8. lt is olf U-shaped formation and assumes the same position in the magazine as does the staple cartridge Si). A block $2 is secured to the underface of the staple pusher 81. A rod 83 is connected to this block 82. A spring retaining handle 34 is formed with a bore which receives the other end. of 'the rod 83 together with an expansion coil spring 85 which surrounds the rod. One end of this spring 85 bears against the block 82 and the other against the handle 84. The inner end of the handle -84 is enlarged to provide shoulders which engage the end walls 73 on opposite sides of `the slot 74. Thus, with the handle so assembled the spring $5 will urge the staple pusher 81 inwardly against the staple cartridge 80 to feed the latter to the machine.

The staple pusher 81 together with the rod 83 and handle 84 and spring 8S may be removed as a `unit by simply raising the handle 34 out of the slot 74. This requires an initial inward movement on the part of the handle to clear the latter from the flanges as shown at 86 which are formed as a part of the end wall 73.

A ltab 87 is struck from. each side frame section 39 and bent inwardly and upwardly to provide a spring anchor, this being clearly shown in Figure 5. Another tab 88'is struck from each side wall 'section 39 and bent'nwardly and downwardly to provide a tulcrum or 'pivot point. A retaining tab 89 has integrally formed therewith a flange 9|) .that is weldedto the innerface of a side frame section 39. There is one of these retaining tabs 89 for each side frame section.

A spring-loaded clipiis designated 91. This clip comprises a pair of end walls 92, each of which is formed with a slot at 93 which receives one of the fulcrum tabs 8S. Above this slot 93 there is a spring anchor 94. A pair of springs 95 are included in the magazine for the purpose of spring-loading the clip 91. Each spring 95 has one end anchored to one of the tabs S7 and its other end to the spring anchor 94. l The tendency of the springs 95 is to rotate the clips 91 about the outer edges of the tabs 88 as ulcrums,

Extending between the walls 92 of the clip 91 is a bar 96 which isadapted to; be engaged by the finger of an operator to (depress the clip. Each of the walls 9i is formed with a-shoulder at 97 which is adapted to engage one of the tabs 78 in the outer magazine part 75.

The magazine M is intended to be removable. The rear frame wall 35 is formed with an opening 93 through which staples are adapted to pass as they are fed into the path of the blade 50. lThe upper edge of this opening 98 is dened by the tlange 99 as shown in Figure 1.

The side edges of this opening 98 are cut away a short distance below this ange 99 as represented at 100 to receive the inner endsof the side walls 76 of the magazine part 75. With these inner ends so received the abutment blocks 79 engage the frame wall 3S to limit inward movement of the magazine.

In assembling the magazine M in the machine the inner ends of the Walls 76 are first positioned in the enlarged portions 100 of the opening 98. The tabs 78 are then moved beneath the retaining tabs S9 on the side frame sections 39 in which position they are engaged by the shoulders 97 of the clip 91. As the clip 91 is tended to be rotated in a counterclockwise direction (speaking with reference to the showing of Figure by the springs 9S the engagement of the shoulders 97 with the tabs 7S will tend to force the magazine inwardly so thatrthe abutment blocks 79 are urged into engagement with the rear wall 35. 'v

After the magazine has been so assembled the staple pusher 31 together with its associated instrumentalities are assembledin the magazine in the manner above described. When lso positioned the rod 83 and spring 85 thereabout act' as an effective guard to prevent accidental displacement of the clip 91. it is only by removing the staple pusher and its associated parts that access may be had to the bar 96 to depress the clip 91 and thereby remove the magazine.

While a preferred specific embodiment of the invention is hereinbcfore set forth, it is to be clearly understood that the invention is not to be limited to the exact constructions, mechanisms, and devices illustrated and described because various modifications of these details may be provided in putting the invention into practice within the purview of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. ln a stapling machine of the character described, a trame providing a space adapted to receive a staple to be driven, a magazine carrying a staple cartridge adapted to supply staples to said space, and means for detachably supporting said magazine in operative position relative to said frame, said means including spring-biased pivotable support for yieldably holding said magazine in assembled position relative to said frame.

2. In a stapling machine of the character described, a frame including a rear Wall formed with an opening and having a space communicating with said opening adapted to receive a staple to be driven, and side wall sections eX- tending rearwardly from said rear wall, a magazine having one end received in said opening, and means for detachably supporting the magazine from the side sections, said means including a spring-biased pivotable supl avvenne port carried by said side wallsections normally. biasing said magazine toward said rear wall, said magazine being adapted to carry a staple cartridge for supplying staples to said space.

3. In a stapling machine of the character described, a trame including a rear wall formed with an opening and having a space communicating with said opening adapted to receive a staple to be driven, and side wall sections extending rearwardly from said rear wall, a magazine having one end received in said opening, and means for detachably supporting the magazine from the side sections, said means including a spring biased clip operatively mounted onsaid side Wall sections and extending therebetweengla'nd abutment elements on said magazine adapted to be engaged by said clip for urging said magazine toward said rear wall.

4. ln a stapling machine of the character described, a frame including a rear wall formed with an opening and having a space communicating with said opening adapted to receive a staple to be driven, and side wall sections extending rearwardly from said rear wall, a magazine having one end received in said opening, means for detachably supporting the magazine from the side sections, said means including a spring-biased pivotable support carried by said wall sections normally biasing said magazine toward said rear wall, and a staple pusher assembly detachably carried by said magazine for feeding staples supported in said magazine.

5. ln a stapling machine of the character described, a frame including a rear wall formed with an opening and having a space communicating with said opening adapted to receive a staple to be driven, and side wall sections extending rearwardly from said rear Wall, a magazine having one end received in said opening, means for detachably supporting the magazine from the side sections, said means including a spring biased clip operatively mounted on said wall sections and extending therebetween, and abutment elements on said magazine adapted to be engaged by said clip for urging said magazine toward said rear wall.

6. In a retractable anvil stapling machine, a magazine comprising inner and outer channel members which together delinea. space for receiving a staple cartridge, said inner channel member being provided with inwardly extending flanges defining a slot at the end of the member, and a staple pusher assembly detachably carried by said magazine, said staple pusher having a locking handle provided with oppositely extending shoulders whereby said handle may be freely moved through .the slot in one rotative position and locked therein in another rotative position with said shoulders bearing against the flanges.

7. In a stapling machine of the character described, a magazine comprising an inner channel member having an end wall formed with a slot, an outer channel member enclosing said inner channel member and cooperating therewi-th to deiine a space for receiving fa staple cartridge, a staple pusher in said space adapted to engage said staple cartridge, a rod having one end connected to said staple pusher, an expansion coil spring about said rod and having one end engaging said staple pusher, and a handle member formed with a socket receiving said rod and said spring, said handle member being adapted to be received in said slot and having an enlarged portion engaging the end wall on opposite sides thereof.

References Cited in the lile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Lang c Oct. 8, 1946 

